HIS Multi-View II USB Display Adaptor review

While a lot of modern graphics cards offer extra DVI, HDMI and VGA display ports for attaching extra monitors to a PC, most laptops and smaller computers lack this functionality. If you already have a multiple-monitor setup, then the number of monitors you can connect to your PC will be limited by the number of available display ports and the power of your graphics card.

The HIS Multi View II is a solution to these problems. It's a display adaptor that plugs into a PC's USB socket and provides an additional VGA or DVI socket for adding another monitor.

It's a small device that can be carried around in its supplied case, and it connects to a laptop or computer via a retractable USB lead, allowing you position the monitor with ease.

Just because the monitor is plugged into the computer via USB doesn't mean there's much of a compromise when it comes to image quality. Even plugged into the USB adaptor, monitors capable of very high resolutions are still able to reach 2,048 x 1,152, which far more than most monitors are capable of.

The HIS Multi-View II USB Display Adaptor boasts of its gaming credentials on its box, though there is a certain amount of lag when playing through the adaptor. The lag can also be noticeable when playing high-definition video content, with dropped frames causing choppy playback.

Despite claims to the contrary, the HIS Multi-View II USB Display Adaptor isn't really suitable for playing games. Instead, it offers the chance to expand the workspace on your laptop, and is ideal for presentations and browsing the web.

It offers a lot of flexibility for the price, especially if you already have an extra monitor going spare. If not, you might be better off waiting for the new generation of small portable monitors that can be plugged straight into a USB port – and which can be powered directly from it.

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